Structural toy



M. A. DARNELL STRUCTURAL TOY Ami]! W, W49.

Fil ed Jan. 6, 1959 I Patented la. 1c, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENTorl-"lca 3 Claim.

This invention relates to toys and more particularly to structural toybuilding elements and method of assembling the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a series of toy buildingelements, the individual units of which are so constructed as to permitsaid units to be easily assembled and united to form a miniature bridge,crane, derrick or other mechanical structures, thus affording a sourceof entertainment and amusement for children as well as grown-ups and atthe same time tendin to familiarize a child in the fabrication ofvarious mechanical structures.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form ofconnector for detachably uniting adjacent structural units, eachconnector being provided at one end thereof with a coupling shank and atits other end with a socket for the reception of a structural unit,there being spaced spurs disposed in advance of said socket and adaptedto be driven into said unit for permanently securing the connector inposition thereon.

A further object is to form the connector from a single metallic blankso constructed that, when the blank is rolled or pressed into propershape and fitted on the end of a structural unit, said connector will bepermanently retained in position thereon without the employment ofnails, screws, rivets or similar fastening devices.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve thisclass of devices so as to increase their utility, durability andefiiciency as well as' to reduce the cost of manufacture.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and inwhich similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in allthe figures of the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a series of structural units embodyingthe present invention showing the same assembled and united in the formof a bridge,

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevation of one of the joints shown inFigure 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a front elevation of one of the connectors before thepiercing spurs are driven into the wood,

Figure 5 is a perspective view nectors detached,

Figure 6 is a, plan view of the blank from which the connector shown inFigure 5 is constructed,

Figure 'I is a side elevation illustrating a modifled form of connector,

Figure 8 is a front elevation of the connector of one of the conshown inFigure 7 before the piercing spurs are driven into the wood, and

Figure 9 is a plan view of the blank from which the connector shown inFigure 'I is constructed.

The improved structural toy forming the sub- 6 ject-matter of thepresent invention may be used in the fabrication of bridges, cranes,derricks and various other mechanical structures. and in Figure 1 of thedrawing the different elements or units are assembled and united to forma bridge, 19 indicated at 5. The device comprises a plurality ofindependent structural elements or units 8 of any desired length andeach preferably cylindrical in cross section and formed of wood or othersuitable material. Fitted on the opposite 1| ends of each structuralunit 6 is a connector i preferably formed from a single metallic blankof the construction, indicated at 8 in. Figure 6 of the drawing. Theblank comprises a. body portion having one end thereof formed withv alatso erally extending coupling shank 9 provided with an opening l0adapted to register with the opening in the coupling shank of acorresponding connector on an adjacent structural unit 6 when two ormore of said units are assembled. The 25 blank 8 is further providedwith laterally extending ears ii adapted to be pressed or rolled intosubstantially cylindrical form to provide a socket l2 adapted to receivethe end of the adjacent structural unit 6. That portion of the 30 blank8 in advance of the ears Ii is cut-away to form inclined spurs i3terminating in piercing 'points I which, when the blank is pressed intoshape, are adapted to be forced or otherwise driven into the wood forthe purpose of holding 35 the connector permanently in position on theadjacent structural unit and thus dispense with the employment of nails,screws, rivets and similar fastening devices. The coupling shanks 9 ofcertain of the connectors I are bent laterally to 40 form angularportions I5 so as to permit the structural units constituting the top ofthe bridge to be connected with the structural units forming the side ofthe bridge, as best shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. As previouslystated, the con- 45 nectors are each stamped from a single metallicblank, and after the blank is formed the ears I i and the attachingspurs l3 are bent or pressed into the shape shown in Figure 5 of thedrawing, and in which position the piercing points of the spurs will benormally slightly out of alinement with the inner wall of the receivingsocket i2, as best shown in Figure 4 of the drawing. By now pressinginwardly on the spurs I3 with a pair of pliers or other suitable tool,said spurs will enter the wood constituting the body of the adjacentstructural unit 6 so as to firmly and permanently hold the connector inposition thereon. In uniting adjacent structural units 8, the couplingshanks are overlapped with the openings l therein registering with eachother, after which a threaded bolt I6 is passed through the registeringopenings Ill and fitted with a clamping nut l'l, thereby firmly anddetachably holding adjacent units in assembled position.

In Figures 7 and 8 of the drawing, there is illustrated a modified formof the invention formed from a blank of the construction shown in Figure9 of the drawing, and in which the socket forming ears iii are taperedand terminate in piercing spurs I9 adapted to be driven into the wood.In this form ofthe device, the front attaching spurs 20 are of lesslength than the rear attaching spurs l9 so that, when the blank ispressed into proper shape and positioned on the end of a structural unitand the spurs l9 and 20 pressed into the wood, the rear spurs l9 willpierce the wood at the top of the unit while the front spurs 20 willpierce the wood at the opposite sides of said unit and thus assist inpreventing cracking or splitting of the wood or other materialconstituting said unit.

It will, of course, be understood that any desired number of structuralelements or units may be provided and in certain cases said units may becurved or bowed instead of being straight, but in all cases the ends ofthe structural units will be provided with connectors either of theconstruction shown in Figure or 7 of the drawing whichever may bepreferred. It will, furthermore, be understood that the devices may bemade in different sizes and shapes and painted, plated or otherwisecoated to give the assembly a neat attractive appearance.

A building toy constructed in accordance with the present invention willnot only afford a source of entertainment and amusement to children andgrown-ups but will also tend to familiarize a child with the fabricationof mechanical structures and thus assist in educating the child alongmechanical lines.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A device of the class described comprising mating structural unitsformed of fibrous material, and connectors permanently secured to theopposite ends of said units and each provided at one end thereof with aperforated coupling shank adapted to register with a mating shank andhaving its other end provided with a split socket for the reception ofan adjacent structural unit, portions of the opposite sides of thesocket being cut away to form oppositely disposed spurs of less lengththan the height of the socket and terminating in piercing points adaptedto be driven into the adjacent sides of said unit in spaced relation tothe split portion of the socket, and fastening devices extending throughthe perforations in the registering coupling shanks for detachablysecuring the units together.

2. A connector for structural units formed from a single metallic blankhaving one end thereof provided with a perforated coupling shank and itsintermediate portion formed with laterally extended ears spaced apart toform a split socket, the metal between the ears and the front edge ofthe blank being cut-away to form tapered attaching spurs terminating inpiercing points spaced from and disposed on opposite sides of said splitsocket.

3. A connector for structural units stamped from a single metallic blankhaving one end thereof reduced to form a flat longitudinally disposedcoupling shank provided with an opening and its other end formed withtapered spurs terminating in inwardly extending piercing points, theintermediate portion of the blank being provided with laterallyextending ears adapted to be pressed into substantially cylindrical formto provide a split receiving socket, the piercing points of the spursbeing normally offset with respect to the outer wall of the splitsocket.

MARY A. DARNELL.

